During 1816, France, the invention of a stethoscope had been brought about by Rene Laennec at a hospital in Paris. The stethoscope back then was a tube that was made with wood and was monophonic. Laennec thought of inventing a stethoscope due to the uncomfortable feeling of placing one ear on top on a woman’s bosom to hear the heart sounds, as explained on this website. Leanne’s stethoscope was similar to a hearing aid and was called the “microphone.” In 1829, the first ever flexible stethoscope was invented as a binaural device with a segmented joint, this type of stethoscope was not clearly described. By the year 1840, Bird Golding was the first person to give a description of a stethoscope. He noted that it has a flexible tube and his invention had one single earpiece.

Fast forward to the early 1960’s, wherein the stethoscope was made refined by a Harvard professor, David Littmann. He has created a lighter, new version of the stethoscope compared from the previous inventors.

What are the uses of a stethoscope?

A stethoscope is a medical acoustic instrument that is used for auscultation that is to listen to the internal human sounds or even to the animals. It is composed of a small disc-shaped resonator that is placed on the chest to hear the beating of the heart and to check for normal breathing of the lungs. This is also used to auscultate to hear audible intestinal movement as well. As blood pressure is taken the use of a sphygmomanometer is used in combination with a stethoscope as the blood flow from the arteries and veins.

In today’s modern practice, a stethoscope became symbolic to all health care professionals. You would most likely see the instrument hanging right about their necks, or placed on their shoulders, or inside their smock gown and even hand carried. According to studies, stethoscopes had made a great impact towards perceiving the trustworthiness of a medical practitioner. The significance of a stethoscope has increasingly become very influential among generations of different age bracket. It has led many people to have a goal in life in becoming a professional health provider.

Moreover, a stethoscope is also used for determining heart beat sounds, and it is also used to monitor anything that involves the human body. Stethoscopes have played a major role in detecting any abnormal indication. This tool or device is ultimately functional and its value is highly recommendable to all health practitioners. This instrument is also used for early signs which are crucial and at the same time beneficial on the part to those who are seeking consultation. Its use is very important as there is nothing else better that having a stethoscope around.

The history of a stethoscope has made its landmark all throughout the world. It has distributed its essential benefit to those who need physical assessment, and at the same time, became a partner for professional health care providers to maximize the use of the stethoscope to help people who are in need.